Children Who Chase Lost Voices aka Journey To Agartha 星を追う子ども Year: 2011 Director: Makoto Shinkai Writer: Makoto Shinkai Running Time: 116 minutes Country: Japan
2011 saw the release of Makoto Shinkai's 3rd film and the follow-up to his highly acclaimed 5 Centimeters per Second. For Children Who Chase Lost Voices his themes and directions completely changed, this time focusing on the realm of fantasy. It's his most ambitious film to date and one that would draw many comparisons to Studio Ghibli.
Asuna Watase lives a lonely and somewhat sheltered life. After her father passed away she spends most of her time herself listening to a radio which was left to her as a memento. The radio uses a strange crystal in place of a diode which picks up music that sounds unfamiliar to her. Asuna randomly encounters a mysterious boy in her hideaway and they begin to have a connection which tragically gets cut short. After a discussion with her substitute teacher Mr. Morisaki, Asuna believes she might have a chance to see the boy again. She goes on a journey to a mysterious world where mythical beasts roam and brave warriors fight for their lives as she is destined to learn about life and death.
It's impossible to discuss a Makoto Shinkai film without talking about the artwork and animation. In terms of animation, Makoto is one of the very few who can compete with Ghibli for how beautiful his films are to look at; Children Who Chase Lost Voices is no exception. The director transports you to the fictional world of Agartha through backgrounds full of rich stunning colors and exceptional fantasy artwork. With this film being more fast paced than his earlier 5 Centimeters per Second the viewer might not be able to take in all the art as well as you would like as some of the action scenes zoom past before your eyes can process it. The English dub is actually handled extremely well and is a bonus if you want to really get immersed in the film without being distracted by subtitles.
For fans of Makoto, there will be a few familiar elements that are discussed such as separation of loved ones and loneliness. However, there is a whole new genre tackled with the fantasy setting which completely separates it from his other work. The story is somewhat complex and occasionally there is actually too much going on. With the introduction to the new world and its lore, it can get overwhelming trying to keep up with all the new information along with plot twists and various characters and beasts.
There is surprisingly some dark ideas throughout the story as it tackles many adult themes and subject matters. This is actually a breath of fresh air to see some of these topics discussed while watching a bright animated fantasy film. Some of the scenes actually left me a little shocked while contemplating the characters motives for some of their choices. There is also some on-screen violence during the action scenes which caught me off guard; this will be why the film was released in the UK with a 12 rating.
There are many elements and even some characters throughout the film which is reminiscent of Studio Ghibli. Films that look to have been an inspiration of sorts include Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away and Castle In The Sky. This isn't necessarily a bad trait, however, it does take you out of the film sometimes when you keep seeing images that remind you of Ghibli films.
Children Who Chase Lost Voices is a fine film in Makoto Shinkai's filmography. While it is fun and stunning to look at, it's not without its flaws. It's still easily one of his most ambitious films and it's a nice stepping stone on the way to his masterpiece Your Name.
7/10
See this if you liked:
Your Name
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
Princess Mononoke
